Electrical connector captivated rear release tool



May 14, 1968 H. LuTz ET Al.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CAPTIVATED REAR RELEASE TOOL Filed Feb. 2, 1966 Umm,

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United States Patent O 3,382,558 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CAPTIVATED REAR RELEASE TOL Leland H. Lutz, Los Angeles, and Charles F. Madaris, Pasadena, Calif., assignors to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 524,530 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to electrical connectors of the type having contact terminals removable from the rear of an insulation body and more specifically to a tool for releasing a terminal from the insulation body.

AIn U.S. Patent 3,110,093, Johnson, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a tubular tool for releasing such contacts which sli-ps over a wire attached to the contact and is moved axially around the contact to release the contact `from a retaining clip. While such tool has performed admirably and has been an outstanding commercial success, it is limited .in application to situations in which the tool can be slipped onto the Wire and there is adequate space between the wire and the bore walls surrounding the contact to permit the tool to be axial-ly moved onto the terminal.

There are certain electrical conductor assemblies, such as shielded cables, in which the wire or other connector component is of a diameter larger than 'the contact terminal and the bore surrounding the terminal. There are also situations in which it is extremely ditlicult or inconvenient to utilize a tool of the type disclosed in the above noted patent.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a tool for removing electrical contacts from connectors of the above described type.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an electrical connector having an improved, low cost, captivated tool for removing terminals from an insulation body in the connector.

Briefly stated, the tool of the invention is utilized for releasing a contact pin from a bore in a connector of the type in which the pin is removable from the re'ar of the connector and is attached to a component having a diameter larger than the bore in which the pin is positioned. The tool which has a tubular shape is permanently mounted on the pin and has a forward cylindrical portion within the bore and a rear outwardly ared portion. The outer surface of the flared portion frictionally engages the bore walls to normally limit the inward movement of the tool and the flared portion terminates between the end of the conductor and the ent-ry to the bore. The ared portion is formed with an enlarged longitudinal split o-r separation which permits the t-ool to be moved axially inwardly by a force applied against the end of the tool to release the Contact.

lFurther features, objects and attendant advantages will become apparent with reference to the following drawing in which:

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FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the captivated tool of the invention in position on an electrical connector;

|FIG. 2 is a rear end view of the extraction tool of the invention; and' FIG. 3 is a plan View of the tool.

As mentioned above, the tool of the .invention is p'articularly adapted for use with terminal contact pins attached to a conductor component larger in diameter than the pin. Such a situation typically exists with coaxial cables such as the type shown in FIG. 1, wherein the assembly 10 includes an outer layer of insulation 12, a

braided conductor 114, an inner layer of insulation 16 and an inner conductor 18.

The cable assembly 10 is shown coupled tto a terminal connector structure 20 including a clamping sleeve 22, an annular end cap 23, a tubular contact pin 24, an inner contact pin 26, and tubular insulators -28 and 30. In assembly, inner conduc'tor pin 26 clampe-d between tubular insulators 28 and 30, is inserted into tubular contact pin 24 and held in this position by end cap 23. Braided conductor 14 of the cable assembly 10 is enliarged so thlat the end of tubu'lar conductor 24 may be inserted into conductor 14, while insulator 16 and inner conductor 18 yare inserted int-o insulator 28 and the pin 18 enters further to engage inner Contact pin 26. Clamping sleeve 22 which was previously placed over the cable assembly 10 is then forced into the position shown to clamp braided conductor 14 in contact with conductor pin 24.

The connect-or structure with the cable assembly 10 attached is shown positioned in insulator body 32 composed of sections 34 and 36 having a bore 38 extending therethrough from a front face 40 to a rear face 42. A cylindrical contact retaining clip or spring member 44 is clamped between insulator sections 34 and 36 to receive conductor 24. The clip 44 is formed with one or more forwardly and inwardly extending tongue positions 44a which englage the side .off contact pin 24 behind its annular shoulder 24a to prevent rearward movement of the pin in the insulator b-ody 32. Forward movement of pin 24 is limited by forward surface 39 in bore 38. The connector structure 20 is, of course, inserted into bore 38 lthrough its rear face 42 so that the tongue portions 44a are rst forced radially outwardly and then allowed to snap inwardly as the structure reache's its fully inserted position. It will be understood that when in the position shown the connector structure is adapted to be mated with a coaxial connector to be inserted through front face 40 of the insulator body 32.

To withdraw the connector structure 20 and cable assembly 10 from the insulator body 32, it is irst necessary to force the iiexible tongue portions 44a outwlardly to clear shoulder 24a of contact pin 24. How to accomplish this function is the problem solved by the present invention. It should be noted that the portion of the contact pin 24 within fthe bore 38 does not include the portion of largest diameter. Flange 24h of the pin located outside of the insulator body 32 extends outwardly beyond the exterior diameter of the pin to form an abutting surface for sleeve 22. Also, the diameter of the sleeve is even larger than thlat of the flan-ge. Hence, the pri-or a-rt pin extraction tool disclosed in the above referenced patent which slips over the wire att-ached to a terminal contact pin is not suitable in that a tool h'avin'g a large enough diameter to t over sleeve 22 and il'ange 24b is too large to ii't within the annular space 48 between the rear of retention clip 44 and the adjacent surface of contact 24.

In accordance with this invention, a simple but unique means for releasing the retention clip is provided by the small, tubular tool 50 which surrounds the rear portion of cylindrical contact pin 24. The tool, as seen in the drawing has a longitudinal split 52 and includes a forward cylindrical portion 50a which fits within annular space 43. The tool is made of resiliently fiexible material such as plastic which by virtue of the split 52 generally engages the contact pin 24 and is axially restricted in movement by flange 24b and shoulder 24a so that the tool is captivated on the connector.

The rear portion Sb of the tool includes an outwardly flared section 50c adjacent split` 52 which in View of the flare, forms an enlarged separation 52a. The extreme rear portion of the tool t) extends outwardly to form a flange 50a' which terminates adjacent contact flange 24h. In accordance with the invention, the outer surface of flared section 50c normally frictionally abuts the wall of bore 38 at the rear face 42 so that the inner end 50e of the tool is normally spaced from the inwardly extending tongue portions 44a with the result that inadvertent release of the contact pin 24 does not occur. However, to release the pin by forcing tongue portions 44a outwardly, it is only necessary to move the tool 50 inwardly by an axial force applied to flange 50d. That is, the end 50e of cylindrical portion 50a engages the tongue portions as the tool is moved inwardly. The separation 52a and the resilient flexibility of tool 50 permits the tool flared portion 50c to conform to a cylindrical shape fitting within bore 38.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the captivated tool 50 represents a low cost reliable means for the rear release of contact pin 24. The releasing force may be applied to the tool directly by the operators fingers or by means of a suitable blunt instrument. The flange 50d U naturally facilitates this operation by forming a convenient force receiving surface. This arrangement is particularly suited for congested somewhat inaccessible areas. Also, connectors having 90 bends or other adjacent angled connections can employ the tool of the invention, whereas the tool disclosed in the above referenced patent cannot be utilized.

Another advantage of the captivated tool described is that it can be employed with electrical connector structure of most any size. Also, in connectors having multiple contact pins arranged in parallel, a group of contacts carrying the described tool may be removed simultaneously, by employing a suitable axially movable member mounted on the connector structure to depress the tools as a group.

While the tool 50 has been described has having a flared section 50c adjacent the separation 52a, it should be understood that the entire rear portion 50b may be flared outwardly to form a somewhat frusto-conical section. Similarly, the flange 50d need not be continuous, but may merely comprise one or more lugs or surfaces on which axial force may be applied. Accordingly, it is intended that any other variations or modifications which fall within the true spirit or scope of the invention are to be included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for releasing a conductor contact pin from a bore in a connector of the type in which the pin is inserted and withdrawn from the rear of the connector, said pin having its forward end secured in said bore by an inwardly extending clip while its rear portion is slightly spaced from the surrounding walls of the bore and extends slightly beyond the rear of the bore, the rear of said pin being attached to a wire or other connecting member Ihaving an outside diameter somewhat larger than the bore diameter, but slightly spaced from the bore entry, said tool comprising:

a tubular member made of resiliently flexible material proportioned to surround the rear portion of said Pm,

the forward portion of said tubular member being shaped to t within the space between the pin and the surrounding bore,

the rear portion of said tubular member having a radially outwardly flared section normally frictionally abutting said bore to prevent inadvertent movement of said tool toward said clip,

said rear portion having a longitudinal normally open split which permits said flared section to be contracted radially inwardly,

said tubular member being movable forwardly into said bore by axial force applied thereto to release the pin from said clip, said flared section being contracted radially inwardly by the walls of the bore so that when the tool is fully inserted the flared section conforms itself to the bore.

2. The combination of an electrical connector unit and an extraction tool mounted on the connector comprising:

a body having a bore therethrough from a front face to a rear face thereof,

an electrical termination structure including a first portion positioned within said bore and extending slightly beyond the rear face of said body, said first portion being spaced from the wall of the bore open to the rear face,

said structure further including a second portion having a forward face and a diameter larger than said bore and being spaced from the rear face of said body,

a spring member in said bore having a portion inclined forwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of said bore for blocking said structure against rearward axial movement,

means blocking axial movement of said structure in a forward direction, a tubular tool surrounding said first portion of the electrical termination structure and having a forward cylindrical portion positioned in the space between said structure and said bore,

said tool further having a rear portion which fiares outwardly to frictionally abut the wall of said bore open to the rear face of said body, said rear portion having a longitudinal split sufiiciently large to permit the walls of the rear portion to be contracted radially inwardly to fit within said space,

said rear portion terminating between the rear face of said body and the forward face of said electrical termination structures second portion and radially outwardly beyond the outer diameter of said second portion,

said tool being axially movable forwardly by axial force applied against the end of said rear portion whereby the cylindrical portion of said tool engages said spring member to force its inclined portion outwardly to permit withdrawal of said structure.

3. The invention of claim 2 including outwardly extending flange means formed on the rear portion of said tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,110,093 11/1963 Johnson. 3,197,849 8/1965 Johnson. 3,325,884 6/1967 Blight et al.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

